Duplicates, but Real
by Lannawannabe
Summary: In the ep. Course: Olblivion, B'Elanna is the first to die and Tom dies a little later. what was going on in their minds during these events? P/T and supposedly a tear-jerker.


Duplicates, but Real  
  
By: Lannawannabe  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Voyager. I do not own Tom Paris or B'Elanna Torres. I do not own the Doctor. I do not own the episode Course: Oblivion. I DO own this story, though, so please do not archive it w/o my permission.  
  
Note: This is set during Course: Oblivion on the duplicate ship. B'Elanna is the first to go, and Tom dies before the ship destabilizes. What was going on in there minds during these events? A little far out. Supposedly a tear-jerker, at least my beta reader thinks so.  
  
+++  
  
B'Elanna heard his voice. Chicago, 1928. Champagne in a silver bucket. A canopy bed. That was all she needed to hear. She let go. Slipped away. Tom would live. She would wait for them to be together.  
  
All of a sudden she was standing in a hotel room. She knew where she was. She was in the Graystone Hotel in the 1920's. She was in their honeymoon. Above her there was a crystal chandelier. Outside she could here the bustle of downtown Chicago. She smiled and looked into a mirror. She stood in a white lace gown. Her hair was a little shorter than usual, but acceptable. In the reflection she saw bags on the floor. She turned and opened one. It was full of men's clothes for Tom. She opened the other. It was full of beautiful clothes for her. Well, she better make sure that they all fit before Tom got here.  
  
+++  
  
He watched her close her eyes. "B'Elanna?" He said, and then the alarms started going off. "Doctor!"  
  
The Doctor took one look at her and said, "Cortical stimulator." Tom did what he said without question. "Initiate an isosinaptic pulse." Tom did it. "It's not working. Again." The Doctor was worried, he didn't know if she'd survive this. "Increase the electrolytic levels to 75 mili-jueles," the Doctor said as he came over with a medical tricorter. Tom did as he said. Then he heard the tricorter.  
  
"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP," it said. The Doctor looked down.  
  
"We've lost her."  
  
Tom couldn't believe it. This was the one thing he feared above all else. No, she couldn't be gone. He had to keep trying. "Increasing electrolytic levels to 90 mili-jueles," he said.  
  
The Doctor came closer. "There's nothing more we can do."  
  
"Maybe we can try a direct neural resequenceing," he said in one last desperate attempt to save his reason for living.  
  
"Lieutenant!"  
  
"We can't just let her die," Tom shouted.  
  
The Doctor reached out a hand to Tom's shoulder. "Return to your quarters."  
  
Tom slapped his hand away. "NO!! I don't want to leave her." He reached down and took her hand, his heart breaking.  
  
"I understand, but I need to perform an analysis before her cells completely degrade. Please."  
  
Tom nodded, and let go of her. He felt as if he was dead too, but trapped among the living.  
  
+++  
  
B'Elanna was still trying on clothes. She thought while she tried on the seemingly endless supply. This place was perfect. Room service, someone to make your bed, no aliens constantly trying to destroy you. The only thing missing was Tom. But he would join her later. Maybe they could go and see the other members of the crew one day.  
  
+++  
  
So, none of them were real. They were duplicates. That was o.k. Then it wouldn't matter when he died. Quite frankly, he was already dead. It didn't matter any more. Nothing mattered without B'Elanna. He felt only numbness.  
  
+++  
  
Well, all the clothes fit wonderfully. She especially liked the red one. She was sure Tom would like it, too. She looked around and saw a brochure on the bedside table. She picked it up and sat down on the bed. She could decide what they would do once Tom got here. She thought about his words to her. A speak-easy called the Green Mill. A drive down Michigan Avenue in a vintage Ducenberg. The Silver Screen. Dinner and dancing.  
  
+++  
  
It hurt. Dear God, it hurt. He could feel the end before it actually happened. It didn't matter. He could be with her again. He could live again in a perfect world. One where he could do anything with B'Elanna.  
  
+++  
  
She started singing. She didn't know why, but she could tell he'd be here soon. Then she could show him around the Hotel, which she'd explored over the past few days. He could see the wall-to-wall Italian marble. Everything, just as he'd described it.  
  
+++  
  
He saw her before he was completely gone. She was beautiful. In a white lace gown. Her perfect brown hair framed her face in curls. Neelix heard Tom whisper something and rushed over. "Oh Gods, B'Elanna, you look like heaven." Tears began to stream down Neelix's face. Tom's was covered in a smile and he slipped away from all of his pain.  
  
+++  
  
B'Elanna saw him shimmer into existence. He wore a black suit. His blue eyes looked at her. "Oh Gods, B'Elanna, you look like heaven." He wore a smile that spoke of pure bliss. She started to cry with happiness and rushed into his open arms.  
  
"Tom."  
  
It was heaven. For both of them. 'We may be duplicates, but our souls deserve a heaven. And this is it,' he thought. A perfect world that would always be wonderful, as long as they were together.  
  
~Finis~ 


End file.
